Grain Bin Hopper Support Cone with Support Legs which are Uninterrupted Along their Respective Lengths Between Top and Bottom Junctions

ABSTRACT

A hopper support cone for a grain bin includes a perimeter footing support, upstanding support legs mounted on the footing support, and an inverted cone shaped hopper wall carried by the support legs in a suspended position above a support surface. The hopper support cone features top and bottom junctions respectively located at top and bottom ends of support legs and respectively joining each support leg to each of the hopper wall and the footing support. Each of the top and bottom junctions comprise upper and lower bracing members forming gusset-like structures which provide rigidity for the hopper support cone while leaving a continuous portion of the length of each support leg uninterrupted between the top and bottom junctions and a continuous portion of the hopper wall uninterrupted from the central opening thereof towards the peripheral edge. Thus, access to the continuous portion of the hopper wall is unobstructed.

This application claims foreign priority benefits from Canadian Patent Application 2,904,879, filed Sep. 22, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to grain bins and more particularly to structural bracing features of hopper support cones for grain bins.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, a frame system of a hopper bottom or support cone comprises radial frame members spanning radially inwardly from support legs of the hopper bottom to an inverted cone shaped hopper wall at a location near a bottom end thereof which locates a central opening. These radial frame members are considered to be essential components of conventional and commercially available hopper bottoms so as to provide sufficient support to the grain bin supported above the hopper cone; however, the radial frame members found in conventional hopper support cones obstruct access circumferentially around the hopper wall from the central opening upwardly along a height of the hopper wall. The obstruction of the radial frame members can make it difficult to manipulate the position of a transfer conveyor inlet such as an auger inlet below the central opening for transferring particulate material stored in the grain bin to another location.

Canadian Patent Application No. 2,825,610 belonging to the current applicant schematically illustrates a hopper bottom or support cone having support legs connected at a bottom end by a perimeter footing. Although the support legs are shown to be uninterrupted along their length between a top junction with the cone and a bottom junction with the perimeter footing, in practice radial frame members are provided between the legs and the bottom of the cone in order to rigidify the structure of the hopper bottom as the frame as schematically illustrated in CA 2,825,610 has been previously found to provide insufficient support for a hopper bin thereabove in the absence of any additional rigidifying structure such as radial frame members.

The applicant presents a unique solution which may overcome the aforementioned potential shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a hopper support cone for a grain bin comprising:

a hopper wall having an inverted cone shape so as to taper downwardly and inwardly from a circumferentially extending peripheral edge at a top end of the hopper wall to a central opening at a bottom end spaced longitudinally from the peripheral edge along a longitudinal axis of the hopper wall;

a plurality of upright support legs supporting the hopper wall that are located at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout;

the upright support legs spanning from a top end of the respective support leg at or adjacent the peripheral edge of the hopper wall downwardly to a bottom end of the respective support leg below the central opening of the hopper wall;

a perimeter footing support at the bottom ends of the plurality of support legs that spans between each adjacent pair of the support legs so as to join the support legs for resting on a support surface;

a bottom junction joining each support leg and the footing support;

a plurality of upper bracing members each spanning radially inwardly from a respective one of the support legs at an upper bracing location thereon which is closer to the top end than the bottom end of the respective support leg to the hopper wall at a wall location thereon which is closer to the peripheral edge than to the central opening such that (i) each support leg is uninterrupted along a continuous portion of its length from the upper bracing location to the bottom junction and (ii) a continuous portion of the hopper wall between the wall location and the central opening is uninterrupted.

The embodiment described in more detail hereinafter functions free of the radial frame members of the prior art by providing top and bottom junctions at the top and bottom ends of the support legs that brace connections between the legs and each one of the hopper wall and the footing support so as to rigidify a structure of the hopper support cone. The addition of bracing members at the top and bottom junctions allow for a continuous intermediate portion of the length of each support leg to be uninterrupted and for a continuous lower portion of the hopper wall from wall locations of upper bracing members to the central opening to be uninterrupted. As such, access circumferentially around the hopper wall and along a height thereof is unobstructed from the central opening to the wall locations at which the upper bracing members are located, while the hopper bottom bin support maintains sufficient strength to support various bins thereon.

In one arrangement, each upper bracing member comprises at least one gusset plate disposed at the top end of the respective support leg so as to extend along the hopper wall from the wall location towards the peripheral edge and along a portion of the length of the respective support leg.

Preferably each bottom junction comprises a lower bracing member spanning from the respective support leg at a lower bracing location thereon which is closer to the bottom end than to the top end of the respective support leg to the footing support at a location thereon which is radially inward of the lower bracing location such that the continuous portion of the length of the respective support leg which is between the upper and lower bracing locations is uninterrupted.

Preferably each lower bracing member extends further from the respective support leg in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis than in a longitudinal direction along the respective support leg.

In one arrangement, each lower bracing member comprises at least one plate generally forming a gusset plate that is disposed at the bottom end of each support leg so as to extend along a portion of the length of the respective support leg and across a width of the footing support inwardly of the respective support leg.

The at least one plate may extend inwardly beyond the footing support so as to be connected thereto across an inner face of the footing support.

In one instance, the at least one plate comprises a pair of parallel side plates respectively located at each side face of the respective support leg.

Each side plate may extend radially outwardly from the respective support leg so as to extend outwardly beyond the footing support and connect thereto across an outer face of the footing support.

Each lower bracing member may include a top plate spanning between the parallel side plates that is located at an inner face of the respective support leg.

Each lower bracing member may include an end capping plate spanning between the parallel side plates at innermost ends thereof. Furthermore, the end capping plate is thus located at an innermost end of the top plate.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a hopper support cone for a grain bin comprising:

a hopper wall having an inverted cone shape so as to taper downwardly and inwardly from a circumferentially extending peripheral edge at a top end of the hopper wall to a central opening at a bottom end spaced longitudinally from the peripheral edge along a longitudinal axis of the hopper wall;

a plurality of upright support legs supporting the hopper wall that are located at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout;

the upright support legs spanning from a top end of the respective support leg at or adjacent the peripheral edge of the hopper wall downwardly to a bottom end of the respective support leg below the central opening of the hopper wall;

a perimeter footing support at the bottom ends of the plurality of support legs that spans between each adjacent pair of the support legs so as to join the support legs for resting on a support surface;

a top junction joining each support leg and the hopper wall;

a plurality of lower bracing members each spanning from a respective one of the support legs at a lower bracing location thereon which is closer to the bottom end than the top end of the respective support leg to the footing support at a location thereon which is radially inward of the lower bracing location such that (i) each support leg is uninterrupted along a continuous portion of its length from the lower bracing location to the top junction and (ii) a continuous portion of the hopper wall from the central opening towards the peripheral edge is uninterrupted.

Preferably each lower bracing member extends further from the respective support leg in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis than in a longitudinal direction along the respective support leg.

In one arrangement, each lower bracing member comprises at least one plate generally forming a gusset plate that is disposed at the bottom end of each support leg so as to extend along a portion of the length of the respective support leg and across a width of the footing support inwardly of the respective support leg.

The at least one plate may extend inwardly beyond the footing support so as to be connected thereto across an inner face of the footing support.

In one instance, the at least one plate comprises a pair of parallel side plates respectively located at each side face of the respective support leg.

Each side plate may extend radially outwardly from the respective support leg so as to extend outwardly beyond the footing support and connect thereto across an outer face of the footing support.

Each lower bracing member may include a top plate spanning between the parallel side plates that is located at an inner face of the respective support leg.

Each lower bracing member may include an end capping plate spanning between the parallel side plates at innermost ends thereof. Furthermore, the end capping plate is thus located at an innermost end of the top plate.

Preferably each top junction comprises an upper bracing member spanning radially inwardly from a respective one of the support legs at an upper bracing location thereon which is closer to the top end than the bottom end of the respective support leg to the hopper wall at a wall location thereon which is closer to the peripheral edge than to the central opening such that the continuous portion of the length of the respective support leg which is between the upper and lower bracing locations is uninterrupted and the continuous portion of the hopper wall which is between the central opening and the wall location is uninterrupted.

In one arrangement, each upper bracing member comprises at least one gusset plate disposed at the top end of the respective support leg so as to extend along the hopper wall from the wall location towards the peripheral edge and along a portion of the length of the respective support leg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of hopper support cone according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 with a gate member at a central opening of a hopper wall omitted for clarity of illustration.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view like that in FIG. 3 but of another embodiment of hopper support cone having a differently shaped footing support.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying figures, there is illustrated a hopper support cone generally indicated by reference numeral 10 for supporting a grain bin thereon. The hopper support cone is suited for center unloading of the grain bin. Such hopper support cones may be formed integrally with the grain bin or may be formed as a separate component upon which a commercially available cylindrical bin wall is then supported, as in the first illustrated embodiment in which the cylindrical bin wall is indicated at 2.

The hopper support cone 10 comprises a hopper wall 12 which takes the shape of an inverted cone. Thus, the hopper wall extends at a downward and inward incline in a tapering fashion from a circumferentially extending peripheral edge 14 at a top end to a central opening 16 at a bottom end. A suitable gate member 17 is mounted across the central opening for selectively enclosing the opening. The peripheral edge 14 and the central opening 16 are coaxially aligned with respect to a vertically oriented longitudinal axis of the hopper wall and thus are longitudinally spaced from one another. Moreover, the peripheral edge 14 corresponds approximately in diameter to the diameter of the cylindrical bin wall 2 such that the cylindrical bin wall is arranged to be supported directly on or above the top peripheral edge of the hopper wall 12.

The hopper support cone includes a plurality of support legs 18 for supporting the hopper wall in a position spaced above a support surface. The support legs 18 are located at equally circumferentially spaced positions about the hopper wall 12. Each support leg carries the hopper wall with a top end 18A of the respective support leg located near the top end of the hopper wall 12 so as to be closer to the peripheral edge 14 than to the central opening 16. The respective leg 18 spans vertically downwardly, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hopper wall 12, from the top end 18A of the respective support leg that is at the peripheral edge of the hopper wall to a bottom end 18B of the support leg which is downwardly below the central opening 16 such that the central opening is held spaced above the support surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the support legs 18 are tubular and are rectangular, for example square, in cross-section transverse to their length. Furthermore, the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 shows six support legs; however, in other embodiments, a number of the support legs may be different than that shown in accordance with the first illustrated embodiment.

The hopper support cone 10 includes an annular perimeter footing support 20 mounted at the bottom ends 18B of the support legs. The footing support 20 spans between each adjacent pair of the legs 18 so as join all of the legs for resting on the support surface. As such, the footing support is arranged to be supported on the support surface such as the ground or a suitable foundation so as to lie in a generally horizontal plane with a diameter which corresponds approximately to the diameter of the cylindrical bin wall 2 to be supported thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the footing support 20 is an endless tubular member which is circular in shape (in plan view). However, in other embodiments, the annular perimeter footing support may be in the form of a polygon with a number of sides or segment equal to the number of the support legs 18. For example, as in FIG. 4 and indicated at 20′, the annular perimeter footing support may be octagonal in shape so as to locate each one of the eight support legs of a second illustrated embodiment at a respective vertex of the octagon shaped footing support. Further to the diameter of the footing support, a width of the tubular member is greater than a thickness of the support leg measured across the width of the tubular member which forms the footing support. The support legs 18 are positioned on the footing support 20 such that outer faces 19A of the support legs that face outwardly away from the hopper wall are generally aligned in a vertical plane with a peripheral outer face 20A of the footing support about an outer periphery thereof. Since the footing support's tubular member is wider in a transverse direction than a thickness of the respective support leg 18, a peripheral inner face 20B of the footing support about an inner periphery thereof is spaced radially inwardly from inner faces 19B of the support legs that face inwardly towards the hopper wall. The inner face 20B of the footing support is also spaced radially outwardly from the central opening 16 such that the central opening is locatable directly over the support surface.

Further to the support legs 18, the hopper support cone 10 includes top and bottom junctions 30 and 40 respectively located at top and bottom ends 18A and 18B of the support legs. The top junctions 30 join each support leg 18 and the hopper wall 12, and the bottom junctions 40 join each support leg 18 and the footing support 20. As such, the top and bottom junctions are suited for bracing or strengthening connection of the legs 18 to each of the hopper wall 12 and the footing support 20 thereby rigidifying the hopper support cone.

More specifically, each top junction 30 comprises an upper bracing member 32 such as a gusset plate which is mounted centrally relative to the inner face 19B of the support leg so as to be centered relative to a width of the support leg 18 that is taken or measured along the circumference of the footing support 20. The upper bracing member 32 spans radially between the respective support leg 18 at an upper bracing location thereon, indicated at ‘UB’, and the hopper wall 12 at a wall location thereon which is indicated at ‘W’. The upper bracing location UB on each leg is closer to the top end 18A than to the bottom end 18B of the respective support leg. Similarly, the wall location W is closer to the peripheral edge 14 than to the central opening 16 of the hopper wall. In the illustrated embodiment which employs gusset plates 32 disposed at the top ends 18A of the support legs as the upper bracing members, a free edge 32A of the respective gusset plate spans between the upper bracing location UB and the wall location W. Also, a leg edge 32B of each gusset plate 32 extends along an upper portion of the length of the respective leg 18 between the top end 18A thereof and the upper bracing location UB thereon. Furthermore, a wall edge 32C of the respective gusset plate extends along the hopper wall 12 from the top end 18A of the respective support leg to the wall location W on the hopper wall. Thus, the upper bracing members 32 provide rigidity in directions along the longitudinal axis of the hopper wall 12 and in transverse directions with respect to the hopper wall's longitudinal axis.

Furthermore, each bottom junction 40 comprises a lower bracing member 42 forming an assembly of plates in the illustrated embodiments. The lower bracing member 42 spans from the respective support leg 18 at a lower bracing location thereon, indicated at ‘LB’, radially inward to the footing support 20. The lower bracing location LB is closer to the bottom end 18B of the respective support leg than to the top end 18A thereof.

The lower bracing member 42 is sized larger across the width of the tubular member of the footing support 20, as indicated at ‘W_(FS)’, than it is sized along the length of the respective support leg 18. As such, the lower bracing member 42 extends further from the respective support leg 18 in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the hopper wall 12 than in a longitudinal direction along the respective support leg 18.

In the illustrated embodiments, the lower bracing member 42 includes a pair of parallel side plates 44 which are vertically oriented and respectively located at each side face 19C, 19D of the respective support leg so as to overlap same. Each side plate 44 generally forms a gusset plate so as to have a gusset-like structure. That is, each side plate 44 is generally inverted U shaped so as to have a top portion 44A which extends along a portion of the length of the respective leg 18 and across the width of an upper face of the tubular member of the footing support 20. The respective side plate 44 wraps about an inner edge at the upper face of the footing support so as to extend radially inwardly beyond the inner face 20B of the footing support and downwardly below the upper face thereof and thus have an inner portion 44B of the side plate connected across the inner face 20B of the footing support. Also, the respective side plate 44 wraps about an outer edge at the upper face of the footing support 20 so as to extend radially outwardly beyond the outer face 20A of the footing support and downwardly below the upper face thereof and thus have an outer portion 44C connected across the outer face 20A of the footing support. Thus, the top portion 44A of each side plate is generally trapezoidal in shape, having a free edge 45 extending inwardly and downwardly from the inner face 19B of the support leg in a direction generally towards a center of the footing support 20 below the central opening 16 of the hopper wall that forms part of a triangular portion of the trapezoidal top portion that is located at the inner face 19B of the support leg 18 between same and the footing support 20.

Further to the parallel side plates 44, each lower bracing member 42 includes a top plate 46 spanning horizontally between the side plates. The top plate 46 is located at the inner face 19B of the respective support leg and has a top face which is flush with the free edges 45 of the side plates 44.

In addition, each lower bracing member 42 includes an end capping plate 48 spanning horizontally between the side plates 44 at the inner portions 44B thereof. The end capping plate 48 is spaced inwardly of the inner face 20B of the footing support so as to be located at innermost ends 47 of the side plates 44 with an exposed face of the end capping plate 48 in flush alignment with innermost ends of the side plates.

As such, the top and end capping plates 46, 48 close a space between the side plates 44 at the inner face 19B of the respective support leg 18.

According to the upper and lower bracing members 32 and 42 described hereinabove, a continuous intermediate portion of the length of each support leg 18 is uninterrupted between the top and bottom junctions 30 and 40, that is between the upper and lower bracing members 32, 42 and more specifically between the upper and lower bracing locations UB and LB, and a continuous lower portion of the hopper wall 12 which is between the wall location W and the central opening 16 is also uninterrupted. Thus, access to the hopper wall circumferentially around the central opening 16 from the central opening to the wall locations W is unobstructed. Furthermore, access between each pair of adjacent support legs 18 is unobstructed by the lower bracing members 42 which extend radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hopper wall 12. This lack of obstructions may be suitable for maneuvering and manipulating a transfer conveyor such as an auger under the central opening 16 for unloading the grain bin.

In alternative embodiments, the upper bracing member 32 may comprise a pair of parallel gusset plates respectively located at each side face of the respective support leg.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A hopper support cone for a grain bin comprising: a hopper wall having an inverted cone shape so as to taper downwardly and inwardly from a circumferentially extending peripheral edge at a top end of the hopper wall to a central opening at a bottom end spaced longitudinally from the peripheral edge along a longitudinal axis of the hopper wall; a plurality of upright support legs supporting the hopper wall that are located at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout; the upright support legs spanning from a top end of the respective support leg at or adjacent the peripheral edge of the hopper wall downwardly to a bottom end of the respective support leg below the central opening of the hopper wall; a perimeter footing support at the bottom ends of the plurality of support legs that spans between each adjacent pair of the support legs so as to join the support legs for resting on a support surface; a bottom junction joining each support leg and the footing support; a plurality of upper bracing members each spanning radially inwardly from a respective one of the support legs at an upper bracing location thereon which is closer to the top end than the bottom end of the respective support leg to the hopper wall at a wall location thereon which is closer to the peripheral edge than to the central opening such that (i) each support leg is uninterrupted along a continuous portion of its length from the upper bracing location to the bottom junction and (ii) a continuous portion of the hopper wall between the wall location and the central opening is uninterrupted.
 2. The hopper support cone according to claim 1 wherein each upper bracing member comprises at least one gusset plate disposed at the top end of the respective support leg so as to extend along the hopper wall from the wall location towards the peripheral edge and along a portion of the length of the respective support leg.
 3. The hopper support cone according to claim 1 wherein each bottom junction comprises a lower bracing member spanning from the respective support leg at a lower bracing location thereon which is closer to the bottom end than to the top end of the respective support leg to the footing support at a location thereon which is radially inward of the lower bracing location such that the continuous portion of the length of the respective support leg which is between the upper and lower bracing locations is uninterrupted.
 4. The hopper support cone according to claim 3 wherein each lower bracing member extends further from the respective support leg in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis than in a longitudinal direction along the respective support leg.
 5. The hopper support cone according to claim 3 wherein each lower bracing member comprises at least one plate generally forming a gusset plate that is disposed at the bottom end of each support leg so as to extend along a portion of the length of the respective support leg and across a width of the footing support inwardly of the respective support leg.
 6. The hopper support cone according to claim 5 wherein said at least one plate extends inwardly beyond the footing support so as to be connected thereto across an inner face of the footing support.
 7. The hopper support cone according to claim 5 wherein said at least one plate comprises a pair of parallel side plates respectively located at each side face of the respective support leg.
 8. The hopper support cone according to claim 7 wherein each side plate extends radially outwardly from the respective support leg so as to extend outwardly beyond the footing support and connect thereto across an outer face of the footing support.
 9. The hopper support cone according to claim 7 wherein each lower bracing member includes a top plate spanning between the parallel side plates that is located at an inner face of the respective support leg.
 10. The hopper support cone according to claim 7 wherein each lower bracing member includes an end capping plate spanning between the parallel side plates at innermost ends thereof.
 11. A hopper support cone for a grain bin comprising: a hopper wall having an inverted cone shape so as to taper downwardly and inwardly from a circumferentially extending peripheral edge at a top end of the hopper wall to a central opening at a bottom end spaced longitudinally from the peripheral edge along a longitudinal axis of the hopper wall; a plurality of upright support legs supporting the hopper wall that are located at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout; the upright support legs spanning from a top end of the respective support leg at or adjacent the peripheral edge of the hopper wall downwardly to a bottom end of the respective support leg below the central opening of the hopper wall; a perimeter footing support at the bottom ends of the plurality of support legs that spans between each adjacent pair of the support legs so as to join the support legs for resting on a support surface; a top junction joining each support leg and the hopper wall; a plurality of lower bracing members each spanning from a respective one of the support legs at a lower bracing location thereon which is closer to the bottom end than the top end of the respective support leg to the footing support at a location thereon which is radially inward of the lower bracing location such that (i) each support leg is uninterrupted along a continuous portion of its length from the lower bracing location to the top junction and (ii) a continuous portion of the hopper wall from the central opening towards the peripheral edge is uninterrupted.
 12. The hopper support cone according to claim 11 wherein each lower bracing member extends further from the respective support leg in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis than in a longitudinal direction along the respective support leg.
 13. The hopper support cone according to claim 11 wherein each lower bracing member comprises at least one plate generally forming a gusset plate that is disposed at the bottom end of each support leg so as to extend along a portion of the length of the respective support leg and across a width of the footing support inwardly of the respective support leg.
 14. The hopper support cone according to claim 13 wherein said at least one plate extends inwardly beyond the footing support so as to be connected thereto across an inner face of the footing support.
 15. The hopper support cone according to claim 13 wherein said at least one plate comprises a pair of parallel side plates respectively located at each side face of the respective support leg.
 16. The hopper support cone according to claim 15 wherein each side plate extends radially outwardly from the respective support leg so as to extend outwardly beyond the footing support and connect thereto across an outer face of the footing support.
 17. The hopper support cone according to claim 15 wherein each lower bracing member includes a top plate spanning between the parallel side plates that is located at an inner face of the respective support leg.
 18. The hopper support cone according to claim 15 wherein each lower bracing member includes an end capping plate spanning between the parallel side plates at innermost ends thereof.
 19. The hopper support cone according to claim 11 wherein each top junction comprises an upper bracing member spanning radially inwardly from a respective one of the support legs at an upper bracing location thereon which is closer to the top end than the bottom end of the respective support leg to the hopper wall at a wall location thereon which is closer to the peripheral edge than to the central opening such that the continuous portion of the length of the respective support leg which is between the upper and lower bracing locations is uninterrupted and the continuous portion of the hopper wall which is between the central opening and the wall location is uninterrupted.
 20. The hopper support cone according to claim 19 wherein each upper bracing member comprises at least one gusset plate disposed at the top end of the respective support leg so as to extend along the hopper wall from the wall location towards the peripheral edge and along a portion of the length of the respective support leg. 